Toyota

We had a great day today! Starting this morning in 11th position, behind very fast and powerful cars like Audi Quattro, Porsche, Opel 400, Ford Escort, Lancia Integrale… And the two first morning stages were very fast and flowing. I expected maybe some of the faster cars catching up. But my strategy was to keep focusing on pace notes and let the car flow with the track. The pace notes I’ve been using are a new system from Jemba, that worked better and better the faster I drove.

Actually driving quicker and not loosing too much time. One Escort in front had mechanical trouble and dropped out, so I was in 10th place!

I am very happy in this my first European championship to finish in 10th position general, and also winning my class 1300 cc.

It was a great result for all Swedish drivers:
1. Johnsen/Johnsen
2. Myrsell/Junttila
5. Jansson/Dawidsson
10. Seel/Sundh
11. Renstål/Westlund

Super big thanks to my codriver Marcus Sundh and team mechanics Benny Öberg and Kjell Lundberg. We’ve had a clean race from day one.

And thanks to my team partners WoodTech AB, Årets Bilsport, Krutcupen, Trygg Racing and G-partners.
And thanks to Team Killer Starlet supporters!

Leg 1 completed, we are in 11th pos general, and first in category 1300!
Started pos 18 this morning and worked my way up. My codriver Marcus has been doing a great job becaus it’s been two years since I drive with real pace notes last time. And this is only my 5th rally ever with real rally pace notes, so it takes a lot of focus to keep listening in this very fast rally. Made one mistake on stage 2, missed a late right hander in fork, had to go straight and stop. Then reverse back, loosing some 25 sec. But after this no more mistakes and really trying to listen more and look less.
At lunch service we were up to pos 14, and then just kept moving on. Some cars have had technical problems so moved up more after lunch.
Other Swedish Drivers doing well: Johnsen/Johnsen leading and Myrsell/junttila second. Jonsson in fifth.
KillerStarlet is in parc ferme and ready to go tomorrow.
My team is great: codriver Marcus keeping me on track, mechanics Benny & Kjell keeping Killer Starlet happy!
Lets rock tomorrow!

Very last minute it is confirmed that Swedish rally driver Annie Seel will participate in the Auto 24 Rally Estonia Historic.

Last year she was a co-driver in Estonia, and enjoyed the event she now returns.
And this year she will be driving her Toyota Starlet 1.3 lit.

Annie Seel, also known as the Rally Princess, is one of the few women drivers competing in both motorcycle and car rallies. She has completed five Dakar rallies on motorcycle, and in January this year she switched to drive a car for the first time.

In car rallies she is still considering herself a beginner, and this will be her first European Championship rally. In Sweden she has raced the Toyota Starlet in the Midnight Sun Rally Historic only three times, but still winning the 1300 class in 2012 and 2013.

– I have been looking forward to the Rally Estonia since I was here last year. It was a great event, and I know it will be even better this year – because now I am driving myself.

The co-driver will be Marcus Sundh, who accompanied Annie in the Midnight Sun Rally 2013.